Incinerator



Apr. 17, i923.

Apr, 117, 1923.

H. E. ELROD INCINERATOR Filed April 16 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIAEZLBE Apr. 17, 1923.

H. E. ELROD INCINERATOR 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 16 RNS" Hen/YEE/rad Patented Apr. 17, 1923.,

carena ricerca.

HENRY E. ELROID, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

l INCINERATOR.

Application led April 16, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. ELROD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incinerators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to incinerators or furnaces adapted for burning garbage, and

refuse.

An object of my invention is to provide an incinerator which is of simple construction, can beV cheaply and substantially built, one in which the simplicity of construction is not detrimental to but on the other hand contributes to the efficiency of the furnace.

The structure in question is of particular design and comprises four walls with an arched top within which are contained a fire grate, an inclined garbage grate and a horizontal platform disposed between the fuel grate and the garbage grate. In addition to the parts just mentioned there is provided an inclined table which assists in forming a tortuous flue or passage-way for the smoke and gases, thereby conducting them in close proximity to the garbage, both over and under the garbage, whereby the full efficiency of the heat carried by the smoke and gases may be utilized.

The arrangement of the parts is such that after the furnace has been started, no other fuel than that provided by the garbage and refuse need be used. The cost of operating the incinerator is therefore reduced to a minimum, the device being extremely economical.

Because the construction of the device is such that the heated. smoke and gases pass over and under the garbage and refuse,

thereby drying the wet garbage rapidly, anv

incnerator constructed in accordance with this invention will have a large capacity in tons of material incinerated per day.

The various features of construction and operation of my invention will be made more apparent in the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an incinerator constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

seria! no. 462,062.

Fig. 3 isa section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, and,

F1 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the ar-` rows.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a foundation made preferably of concrete from which front and rear walls 11 and 12 and side walls 13 respectively extend upwardly. The walls are formed preferably of brick and are connected by an arch 14. This arch is preferably faced with fire brick 15 and between the fire brick and arch 14 suitable insulating brick or material 16 may be inserted.

Disposed at the top of the structure thus far described there is provided a platform 17 formed preferably of concrete, this being in accordance with the practice in this art. For reinforcing and bracing the structure vertically disposed I-beams 18 are provided disposed adjacent the sides 13, secured at the bottom by short tie-rods 19 projecting from the base 10 and at the top by transversely disposed tie-rods 20. Supports of a similar type 21 are provided adjacent the front and rear walls and secured to the furnace body by tie-rods 22.

Adjacent the rear wall 12 of the furnace there is provided a smoke stack 23 which may be lined with fire brick or suitable refractory material. municates at its lower end with an opening 25 of the furnace and is provided with an opening and door 26 to enable soot and the like to be removed or to be-taken therefrom. The platform 17 is provided with a charging opening 27 suitably closed by a door 28. The charging opening 27 communicates with the interior of the furnace thereby enabling the refuse and garbage to be dumped into the furnace at this point. The wall of thev This smoke stack comcharging opening is formed of fire brick or other suitable refractory material 29 and faced on its bottom side with a metal plate 30 to facilitate the travel of the garbage and refuse into the furnace. c

In order to prevent the escape of heated smoke and odors from the combustion chamber during the charging of the garbage or refuse through the charging opening 27, I provide a swinging door 31 formed hollow in order to permit water to be supplied thereto. The door is pivoted at its upper end upon suitable hollow trunnions 32, to which trunnions are connected a pipe 33, extending transversely of the furnace. vWater is supplied to the door 31 through the pipe 33, which pipe terminates at one of the trunnions and steam generated by the heat in the combustion chamber may escape through a similarly disposed pipe 34. This swinging door 31 is opened by pressure of the garbage or refuse in the charging opening 27 and closes by gravity when the charging operation is completed. If desired, suitable mechanical devices, such as gears and levers may be employed for positively operating the swinging door 3l.

At the front of the furnace there are provided a set of fire grates 35 disposed over ashpits 36 between the side walls 13. Suitable fire box and ashpit doors 37 and 38 respectively are provided whereby access may be had to the fire grates and ashpits.

Extending longitudinally of the furnace and centrally disposed is an inclined grate 39. The forward end of the grate 39 is supported by a retaining wall 40 which is of suflicient width to provide a horizontal platform 41. The platform 41 is so disposed as to lie at the base of the inclined grate 39 and between this grate and the fire grates 35, for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described. If desired, the wall 40 may be provided with a transversely extending passage way 42 closed by doors 43 at the sides of the furnace. The retaining wall 4() and platform 41 are formed preferably of fire brick or other refractory material.

The rear end of the grate 39 is supported upon a retaining wall 44 extending transversely of the furnace. This wall 44 forms with one side of a passage way 45 closed at its ends by doors 45. The wall 44 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 46 preferablyarched as illustrated. The refractory material 29 of the charging opening is continued downwardly as illustrated at 47 and forms an insulation for the rear wall of the opening 45. yExtending forwardly from the rear wall 12 is a table 48. The table 48 is preferably inclined similarly to the grate 39 and is disposed beneath this grate. This inclined table together with the bottom of the passage way 45 is preferably formed of fire brick or other refractory material. The table 48 stops short of the retaining wall 4() and a distance above the base of thc furnace in order to provide an opening 49. The opening 49 communicates with a passage way 50 between the table 48 and the base of the furnace. The passage way 50 communicates with the opening 25 leading to the smoke stack 23.- lDisposed transversely of the furnace and immediately below the front edge of the table 48 is a passage way 51 closed by suitable doors 52 at the side of the furnace. These doors permit access to the furnace at this point to enable matter to be removed should the occasion arise. Also disposed at this point is a suitable sump 53 for the purpose of gathering liquid from the garbage or refuse which has not been evaporated. The heated gases which continually pass over the sump will tend to evaporate any liquid gathered there. As illustrated in F ig. l suitable sewerage connection 54 may be provided for carrying ofi' any liquid not evaporated.

Disposed parallel with the rear wall 12 is a passage way 55 closed by suitable doors 56 at the sides of the furnace. This per mits ashes or the like to be raked out of the passage way leading to the smoke stack.

The arrangement of the parts is such that smoke and heated gases are directed by the arched roof in the directions indicated by the line of arrows 57 and around the charging opening 27. Then through the opening` 46 in the wall 44 passing under the grate 39 and over the table 48. Then over the sump 53 through opening 49 and under the table 48 through opening 25 to the smoke stack 23.

In operation the furnace works as follows:

The lire is built upon the grates 35, fuel being introduced through fire door 37. A draft will be created by the stack 25. lVhen the combustion chamber is thoroughly heated the cover 28 of the charging opening is removed and garbage and refuse' admitted into this charging opening. The force of the garbage against the swinging door 31 will force the same openy and permit the garbage to move on to the grate'39. Wet garbage will percolate through the bars of the grate 39 and fall on to the inclined table 48, thus facilitating the drying out and burning of the garbage and refuse retained on the grate 39. As hereinbefore stated, heat from the fire on grates 35 is directed over the grate 39 around through passage way 45 and opening 46 so that it passes under the grate 39 and over table 48. This circulation of the heated smoke and gases passing over the refuse on grate 39 and over the liquid on the table 48 will quickly consume and evaporate much of the said refuse and liquids.

After the furnace has been set in operation the garbage and refuse contained on the grate 39 will be raked down onto fire grates 35 so that no other fuel need be supplied to the tire grates. In reality, if a sufficient amount of garbage and refuse is supplied to the grate 39 it will tend to work its way downwardly and fall on the fire grates 3 5. This occurs because of the inclined position of the grate 39. The feeding of the refuse from the grate 39 to the grates 35 is controlled by the platform 41,

naeaosi disposed at the base of the inclined grate 39. Because this platform is horizontally arranged, the feeding action will be retarded and the refuse and garbager caused to remain for a longer period upon the inclined grate 39. This insures a more thorough drying out of the wet refuse and arbage, thereby" facilitating its burning w en it falls upon the fire grates 35.

The heated gases and vsmoke keep the inclined table 48 in Aa higher heated condition whereby the liquid which percolates through the grate 39 will to a great extent, be evaporated. However, that portion of the liquid which "is not evaporated upon the table 48 Will fall onto the sump 53 and part of this will then be evaporated because heated gases are constantly passed over this sump. rlhe remaining liquid which is usually of a negligible quantity may be carried oil by the sewerage connection 54. a

Suiicient heat is generated in the furnace to consume all smoke and odors created through the combustion of the garbage and refuse so that the operation of the incinerator is odorless and unobjectionable.

By disposing the fire grates at one end of the structure and the smoke stack which creates the draft at the other end, the heated ases and smoke are eiiiciently utilized. xtending from the fire grates is the arched roof which will direct the heated smoke and ases rearwardly and over the refuse contalned on the inclined grate 39. This heated smoke and gases are thereafter conducted through the passage way 45 and directed under the grate and over the table 48 by reason of the disposition of the opening 46. Hence the refuse on the grate 39 is subjected to the heat of the smoke and gases on its bottom while the Wet garbage on the table 48 is also subjected to the heat of the smoke and gases. It will be further noted that the smoke and gases is then conducted under the table-48 whereby any remaining heat will be utilized in keeping the table 48 heated. The gas is thereafter passed from the opening 25 to the smoke stfack 23 and is discharged at the top thereo The door 31 which is subjected directly to the heat of the combustion chamber is cooled by the circulation of water therethrough. By the inter-position of this door the charging of the furnace is facilitated inasmuch as the obnoxious gases resulting from the combustion of the garbage and refuse are to a great extent prevented from escaping through to the charging opening` 27.

While the structure illustrated in these drawings and described in the foregoing specification has proved to be an etlicient one, I do not wish to be limited in the manner of details but reserve the right to make such changes and modifications as become necessary and come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

Havin thus described my invention, what I c aim is:

1. An incinerator of the class described comprising a combustion chamber havin a base and front, back and side w-alls rising from said base, an arch connecting said walls and extending from the-front to the rear of said combustion chamber, said combustion chamber being provided with an opening whereby garbage may be introduced therein, fire grates disposed at the front of said combustion chamber, an inclined grate disposed centrally of said combustion chamber and adjacent said fire grates, an inclined table disposed beneath said inclined grate, a smoke stack and a passageway connecting said stack with said combustion chamber, said passageway extending over and under said table and thence to said smoke stack.

2. An incinerator comprising a. combustion chamber having a base and front, back and side walls rising from said base with an arched roof connecting said walls, said arched roof extending from the front side of said combustion'chamber upwardly and toward the back wall thereof, said combustion chamber being provided with a charging opening whereby garbage may be introduced into said chamber, a pivoted door disposed in said discharge opening, means for cooling said door, a pair of fire rates disposed adjacent the front wall o said combustion chamber, an inclined grate disposed centrally of said combustion chamber, said inclined grate being inclined rearwardly and upwardly, an inclined table disposed beneath said inclined grate, a smoke stack and means providing communication between said combustion chamber and said smoke stack whereby the smoke and combustion gases are conducted over and under said inclined grate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A garbage burning furnace comprising a combustion chamber having a front, back and side walls rising from said base together with an arched roof connecting said walls, said arched roof extending from the front wall and being inclined upwardly toward the rear wall, said -arched roof being provided with a charging opening whereby garbage may be introduced into the combustion chamber, lire grates disposed adjacent the front wall, a retaining wall adjacent said fire grates forming a horizontally disposed platform, a retaining wall arran ed adjacent the back wall of said combustion chamber. an inclined grate supported upon said retaining walls, said grate being inclined upwardly and rearwardly of the combustion chamber, an inclined table disposed beneath said inclined grate, said second mentioned retaining wall being provided with an opening disposed beneath said inc clined grate, said inclined table being formed so as to provide a passage way beneath the same, a smoke stack and a pas sage way connecting' said smoke stack with the passage way provided under said inclined table, whereby the smoke and gases from the combustion chamber will pass out through said stack, as and nier the purpose described 4. il garbage burr ing a combustion cin. back and side walls i. ng 'from said base together with an i rcelE connecting said walls, said roof extending from the front n and bei inclined upwardly toward ear wf said arched roeiE being provided a ne baclr wail ot the combustion chai wn'ii a charging opening, cover t'cr l opening and a swinging doo"L within said charging' opening, lire i arranged ad jacent the front of? combustion chainber, an upwardly and rcarw ily inclined grate disposed centrally et said combustien chamber, a retaining wall for supporting the forward end of said inclined grat/e, said retaining wal bei `iosed so as to ferm a horizontally ajh. 'l platform, a retaining wall disposed versely of said combustion chamber ard supporting the rear edge of said incl grate, said retaining wall forming with the back wall of said combustion chamber a transversely disposed passage way, said retaining wall being provided with an opening disposed under said inclined grate, an inclined table projecting from said retaining wall and inclined similarly' to said grate, said inclined table being arranged so as to provide a passageway beneath the same, said inclined table being arranged so as to provide communication between its upper and lower sides, a smoke stack arranged against the rear Wall of said combustion chamber, -a passage way connecting said smoke stack to the passage way disposed under said inclined table whereby the heated smoke from said tire crates will be directed rearwardly trom said inclined grate, through said transverse passage way, between said inclined grate and inclined table, under said inclined table to said smoke stack` substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A garbage burning furnace comprising a combustion chamber having a front, back and side walls rising from said base together with an arched roof connecting said walls. said arched root extending from the front wall and being inclined upwardly toward the rear wall` a platform over. said arched roof, said arched roof being provided adjacent the back-Wall of said combustion g furnace compris er having a front,

chamber with a charging opening, a cover for said opening, a door pivotally mounted adjacent its upper edges disposed in said charging opening, a set of lire grates disposed transversely of said combustion chamber adjacent the front wall thereof, an inclined grate disposed centrally of said combustion chamber and inclining rearwardly and upwardly, the rear edge of said inclined grate being disposed immediately adjacent said charging opening, a platform disposed adjacent said lire grates, said platform supporting the forward edge or' said inclined grate, retaining wall disposed transversely of said combustion chamber and under said charging opening, said retaining wall supporting the rear end of said inclined grate, said retaining wall forming one side of a transversely disposed passage way, the ends of said passage way being in communication with said combustion el amb-er, said retaining wall being provided with a centrally disposed opening, a forwardly and downwardly inclined table projecting from said rear wall and immediately adjacent said passage way, said table stopping short ci said platform, the under side o said table being arched to form a' passage way there under and to permit communication between the upper and under sides of said table, a transversely disposed passage way immediately adjacent the Jforward edge or said table, doors tor closing the ends of said passage way, a sump formed in the base of said com. bustion chamber and under the forward edge of said inclined table, a smoke stack and means providing communication be-' tween said smoke stack and the passage way ot said inclined table, whereby smoke and heated gases from said fire grates will pass over and under said inclined grate and thereafter under said inclined table to be discharged through said smoke stack.

6. A garbage burning furnace comprising a combustion chamber having a front, back and side walls rising from said base together with an arched roof connecting said walls. said arched roof extending from the front wall and being inclined upwardly toward the rear wall` said arched roof being provided with a charging opening, a metal plate forming the bottom and the side of said charging opening, a cover plate for said opening, a gravity closed door inserted in said opening, means for supplying a cooling fluid to said door, tire grates disposed transversely of said combustion chamber adjacent the front wall and near the base thereof, ashpits formed beneath said fire gratos, fire and ashpit doors for said grates and ashpits, a transversely disposed platform immediately adjacent said-fire grates, a transversely disposed retaining wall at the rear of said combustion chamber and spaced from the rear wall thereof, an inclined garbage grate supaaaaoai ported by said platform and retaining wall, the rear end of said inclined grate being dis- Dosed ladjacent the inner end ot' said charging opening, whereby garbage introduced into said charging opening will be directed upon said inclined grate, said retaining wall forming with the rear wall of the combustion chamber a transversely disposed passage way, said passage waybeing in communication withsaid combustion chamber adjacent the ends of the passa e way, said retaining wall beine` aperture centrally thereof in order to provide communication between said passage way and the under side of said inclined grate, and inwardly and downy wardly inclined table commencing at said passage way and extending to a point short of said platform, said inclined table bein spaced from said inclined grate to provi e a passage way between, said inclined table being formed with a passage way beneath the same, said passage way opening so as to be in communication with the passage way formed by the upper side of said table, a sump formed in said base adjacent the forward edge of said inclined table, a smoke stack disposed adjacent the rear wall ot said combustion chamber, said smoke stack communicating with the passage way provided under said inclined table, whereby the heated combustion gases from said fire grates will be directed rearwardly by `said arched roof' over said platform and inclined grate, into said Atransversely disposed passage way, through said opening and between said inclined grate and inclined table and under said inclined table to said smoke stack where it is discharged, substantially as and for the purpose described.

HENRY E. ELRD. 

